It turns out your feline friend might be more perceptive than you think. Cats seem to pick up on subtle changes in their human companions’ health, and while some of the evidence is anecdotal, recent studies back up these claims.
Cats live in a world driven by their olfactory senses. While their vision in low light is superior, their ability to detect scents is even more remarkable. Cats have millions of olfactory cells which help them navigate their environment, primarily as predators. This heightened sense of smell might allow them to notice changes in their humans, particularly when someone is sick. For instance, when you’re ill, you might use cough syrups or rubs with distinct scents that your cat can easily detect. A 2017 study in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science even suggests that cats might identify certain illnesses by scent, as some dogs do.
Domestication history gives us a clue that cats might have developed the ability to sense when humans are sick. Our relationship with cats is ancient, dating back about 12,000 years. Initially, humans and cats tolerated one another, but over time, cats started living closer to people and even traveled with them. Fast forward to the period of Ancient Egypt, and cats had elevated their status within human society. Living in such close quarters likely led cats to become attuned to human behaviors and states, including illness, to ensure their survival.
The genetic connection between cats and humans further supports their ability to notice when we’re not feeling well. Humans and cats share a surprising amount of DNA, about 90%, which might explain the several diseases common to both species. This genetic similarity suggests that cats could understand and react to human emotions and conditions. Their survival instincts, developed over millions of years, might include picking up on signs of human illness as part of their adaptation process.
Perhaps one of the most compelling pieces of evidence for cats detecting illnesses comes from a story out of a Rhode Island nursing home. A therapy cat named Oscar gained attention for his ability to sense when residents were near the end of life. Oscar would snuggle with certain residents, and astonishingly, many of these individuals passed away within hours of his visit. This uncanny ability to predict outcomes suggests a deep, albeit not fully understood, bond between cats and human health states.
Cats have evolved to be in tune with their environments and the people around them. While it’s not fully understood how they sense human illness, their keen instincts and strong olfactory sense likely play a role. Sharing your life with a cat might just mean having a furry companion who knows you better than you think.
